Shop Efficiency Part 4 : Re-Thinking Your Lathe Tooling

We've always been a big fan of Sandvik Coromant and their tooling ... not just because they are a member of the Kipware® family ... but we have always found their tooling, inserts, support and design to be cutting edge and of the best quality. On the shop floor ... they were our tooling manufacturer of choice and never let us down whether in standard type production or when we were looking for that new and innovative tool to get us through the toughest job or materials.

One of my personal best purchases was in converting our CNC lathe tool turret from standard lathe tooling to the Sandvik CAPTO system. I can compare this transformation to the points I outlined in Part #1 of this Shop Efficiency series ... click here to read that article ... and the transformation that takes place when you bring your VMC table into the 21st century. A CAPTO system will bring your CNC lathe turret into the 21st century.

First - What is CAPTO?
The CAPTO system is basically a quick-change, modular tooling system for CNC lathes and turning centers. Instead of mounting tooling directly into the turret ... tools are mounted to quick-change clamping units that are mounted onto the turret. Tools are then easily interchanged by simply changing the "head" mounted onto the clamping unit. Need to change from an 80 degree turning tool to a 55 degree ... just simple swap the "head". Need to change from a .750 insert drill to a 1.250 ... simply change the "head". For live tool turning centers ... need to change from a 1" drill to a face mill ... simply change the "head".

Second - Why Use CAPTO?
This type of modular tooling system comes with tons of advantages. Here are just a few of the more important ones pertaining to the Shop Efficiency factors which are the main focus of this series.

• Quick tool change which keeps the spindle running and the machine making chips / money. Not only in changing the complete tool type ... but insert changes can take place off-line while the head is replaced at the turret involving less time than an insert change.
• Greatly reduced set-up and changeover times because of the cutting edge repeatability when re-mounted in the clamping unit.
• Greater tool stability leads to improved cutting and cycletimes.
• Greater flexibility in tool selection and tool type.
• Same tooling can be used throughout the shop ... reduced tooling costs and inventory.
• Greater options for through-tool coolant delivery ... again, improved cutting and cycletimes.
• Turning Centers with Live Tools can see the biggest impact. By simply swapping heads that tool station can go from a face mill to a drill to an end mill in seconds. With greater repeatability meaning less set-up / touch off times. In addition ... turning that face mill station into a turning tool station can also be accomplished ... quickly and easily.

I could go on and on ... but I'm sure you're machinist mind sees the point.

Third - Cost vs Features
Like anything in life ... the system does require an initial investment. How much can be spread out over time as you integrate the system into the machine and the shop over time. I will say from

experience that the long term savings are there ... in quicker change overs, increased cycletimes and reduced tooling inventory ... especially if you integrate the system into multiple machines. The beauty part here is that once you have the clamping units on all your machines ... all machine will now utilize the same tooling. That is a huge advantage including reduced tooling costs and inventory all around.

RESULT - Increased Shop Efficiency
As you can see from the points outlined here ... there are a ton of features that can lead your CNC turning department to increased shop floor efficiency with the transformation through a CAPTO system. By integrating the system into your shop bit by bit you can defer the initial investment a bit and still reap the long term advantages and savings as you build the system into your shop floor. From faster insert changes ... to faster tool change-overs ... to faster set-up ... to improved cutting and cycletimes ... your shop floor can certainly reap improved shop efficiency with a CAPTO system.

LINKS for ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

1. For a more in-depth look ... take a peek at the Sandvik Coromant video by CLICKING HERE.
2. For more information on CAPTO in general ... download the informational PDF by CLICKING HERE

Please come back for our next installment in our series on Shop Efficiency.

Until next time ... Happy Chip Making !!

At Kentech Inc. we are MACHINISTS who create Real World Machine Shop Software.

Who creates the machine shop software guiding your shop's future ??
Check out all our REAL WORLD CNC & MACHINE SHOP titles at 

www.KentechInc.com

Shop Efficiency Part 3 : The Infamous Milling Vise

Part 3 in our Shop Efficiency Series will expand a little on Part 1 ... and key in on one of the most common workholding options used in the milling world ... the vise. Some of the ideas we will present might be old hat for the more professionals in the group ... but it's never a bad idea to refresh and re-look at this subject. For me ... something new always clicked when I looked at my vise set-up or holding configuration. Ideas usually led to different set-up ideas ... how to position the vise or vises ... as well as jaw ideas ... material, change-over and others. So we thought it was a good plan to outline some of the newer options available ... and to get your idea machine cranked up.

FIRST - Dump the Knee Mill Vise
We still see a lot of shops using an old style knee mill vise ... or some revised configuration of one ... on their new and modern CNC machine. Ya ... you know the ones ....

If these look all too familiar to you ... the first step in improving your workholding and basically your whole shop floor efficiency is to dump these vises and step up to today. Sure in a pinch ... they are OK ... but you should really think about putting 'em on Ebay and stick some "hobby machinist" ( whatever the hell that is ) with these toys. If you have a CNC machine and want to be a pro ... here are your new alternatives.

Here a just couple of important reasons to dump your 1950's vise for a new CNC vise :

1. SIZE and SPACE : Without the "wings" sticking our from the sides, these types of vises are slimmer and trimmer ( not to mention lighter ) and will take up less room on your table or fixture plate. That allows for more efficient use of your machine travels and table capacity. 
2. MULTI PART MACHINING : configurations can include double vise jaws ... again, multiple part machining. The whole concept of efficiency is to perform the most machining while the tool is in the spindle. That may entail multiples of the same part or combining different parts during the tools cycle.
3. QUICK CLAMP : The ever present annoyance of rapping your fingers while turning the handle to clamp can also easily be eliminated by incorporating a power clamping system such as a pneumatic wrench instead of the handle ... or if you want to "crank it up a notch" ... check out the CHIC video below :

SECOND - Jaws for the Modern World

Now that you have upgraded the vise itself ... it's time to incorporate new holding options into the vise. Almost every shop with a CNC vise uses some sort of aluminum vise jaw that has been machined to accept the stock to be machined. It's a basic ... it's a staple ... if you don't do it it's time to step into the 70's. 

So the most basic step is to create a CNC program that will machine a blank aluminum vise jaw to fit your CNC vise. That way anytime you need some jaws ... call up that proven program and machine some jaws for stock ... or keep some on the shelf. Done.

But hold on ... now there's an even better method. We have talked about these jaws before in Making Chips and we are high on their use and rewards. No cap screws ... 2 min changeover ... and tons of configurations make quick change vise jaws the new go-to vise jaws. Here's a sample video from Carvesmart ... one of our favorites :

THIRD - Don't forget the TABLE

Part 1 in our series dealt with how to bring your VMC machine table into the 21st century. Combining your new table configuration with these new vise and jaw options can really expand your efficiency. This is a really important read ... if you missed that post ... here's the link : 

http://kipware.blogspot.com/2014/12/shop-efficiency-part-1-cutting-time-vs.html

FOURTH - Don't forget to MOVE THAT VISE !!

Always placing the vise so it looks nice in the middle of the table causes a lot more harm than you might think. Here's a past Making Chips post dealing with that subject in detail ... http://kipware.blogspot.com/2013/01/move-that-vise.html ... required reading if you use a vise ( and seriously, who doesn't ?? ).

RESULT - New Shop Floor Efficiency ... 

with the sky as the limit.
As you can see ... these are some fairly simple but really important changes that will greatly effect your shop floor efficiency. From faster set-up changeovers ... to more advanced configurations ... to faster part load / unload ... to simply better cycletimes ... these tried and proven changes mean more profits ... a happier workforce ... with the sky as the limit. We are also confident that as you implement these changes ... your "machinist" mind will think of even bigger and better changes now able to be implemented with the upgrades that come with the ones outlined here.

Please come back for our next installment in our series on Shop Efficiency.

Until next time ... Happy Chip Making !!

At Kentech Inc. we are MACHINISTS who create Real World Machine Shop Software.

Who creates the machine shop software guiding your shop's future ??
Check out all our REAL WORLD CNC & MACHINE SHOP titles at 

www.KentechInc.com